Title: Ruth

Artist: STANSON (Ron Lawson)

Price: £45 unframed | £70 framed

Medium: Fine Art Print from Original Oil Painting

Size: 20 × 16 inches

Details:

Fine art print from the original oil on canvas painting, Ruth, part of STANSON's The Engaging Gaze collection.

Original painting: 150 × 100 cm (Sold).

Standing in the doorway of a steelworks, a mug of tea in one hand and a cigarette in the other, Ruth pauses momentarily from the demands of her working day.

Beyond the doorway, the heat and glow of industrial production provide a powerful contrast to her quiet, reflective presence.

Inspired by the women who entered Britain's iron and steel industries during the Second World War, Ruth acknowledges the often-unrecognised contribution of female industrial workers whose labour helped sustain the nation's wartime production.

Yet the painting is concerned with more than industrial history. Ruth's relaxed posture, work-worn clothing and direct, self-possessed expression reveal an individual whose character extends far beyond her occupation.

Her gaze invites the viewer into a moment of personal encounter, challenging us to consider the lives, experiences and identities of those whose contributions have so often been overlooked.

Through its combination of industrial atmosphere, intimate portraiture and quiet dignity, Ruth reflects the central ambition of The Engaging Gaze: to give renewed presence and recognition to the women who helped forge the industrial heritage of North East England.